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Re: Steering play - Steering box bolt locations (archive)
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Posted by Chris Morgan on March 07, 2002 at 10:47:58:

In Reply to: Steering play - Steering box bolt locations posted by Philo on March 06, 2002 at 21:52:09:


So, (sorry for not getting to the point, I'm in sales) where are these bolts located for the steering box. I found an access hole in the sub-frame with a bolt head showing which looked like one of them, where are the others. Do I need to take the plenum off to get to them ? Also, if the sub-frame is cracked will I see it from the under side or from inside the engine compartment ?

Philo, you won't see it from underneath. You might be able to see it from the top. There are two bolts. One lays parallel to the ground and points forward. This isn't the problem one. The one that points up through the subframe is the problem. There is a very inadequate piece of sheetmetal welded to the subframe that holds the box to the subframe with this vertical bolt. I think you have found this bolt by looking at your question. The most ideal thing is to remove the subframe to see how bad the damage is. If that sounds like too much of a PITA, then get a small mirror or something that you can look at the top of the subframe from the bottom of the car. It sounds like you will have to get this fixed in some fashion or another. There are many fixes.

1) JB weld the thing back on (which will last about two turns of the wheel)

2) Use a longer bolt, some washers and spacers and bolt it through the entire subframe. I've heard this works, but it's not how I fixed my 6er.

3) Remove the subframe, cut a little piece of 1/4" steel to fill in one side of the inadequate piece, then weld the thing together. I welded my filler piece in on the side where I would be least likely to need to get in there with a wrench. I forget if it was the front or back though.

Sorry for the long windedness, but I'm not in sales, I'm an engineer. =)

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